  Talk about the next month? What is the name of this month? What was last month? What will next month be? What season is this? What will the next season be? How many days in April? What other months have only thirty days? TuesdayStory to be told to the children: THE MORNING-GLORY SEED A little girl dropped a morning-glory seed into a small hole in the ground. As she did so she said, “Now, morning-glory seed, hurry and grow, grow, grow, until you are a tall vine, covered with pretty green leaves and lovely trumpet flowers.” But the earth was very dry. There had been no rain for a long time, and the poor seed could not grow at all. After it had lain in the ground for nine long days and nine long nights, the little seed said to the ground, “Oh, ground, please give me a few drops of water to soften But the ground said, “You must ask that of the rain.” So the seed called to the rain. “Oh, rain,” it said, “please come down and wet the ground around me, so that it may give me a few drops of water, to soften my hard brown coat. Then my coat can burst open and set free my two green seed-leaves, and then I can begin to be a vine.” “I cannot,” said the rain, “unless the clouds hang low.” So the seed said to the clouds, “Oh, clouds, please hang low, and let the rain come down and wet the ground around me, so that it may give me a few drops of water to soften my hard brown coat. Then my coat can burst open and set free my two green seed-leaves, and then I can begin to be a vine.” But the clouds said, “The sun must hide first.” So the seed called to the sun. “Oh, sun, please hide for a little while. Then the clouds can hang low, and let the rain come down and wet the ground around me, so that it may give me a few drops of water, to soften my hard brown coat. Then my coat can burst open and set free my two green seed-leaves, and then I can begin to be a vine.” “I will,” said the sun, and he hid at once. Then the clouds hung low and lower. The rain began to fall fast and faster. The ground began to grow wet and wetter. The seed-coat began to grow soft and softer, until it burst open. Out came two bright green seed-leaves, and the morning-glory seed began to be a vine.—Adapted WednesdayTalk about the story of the morning-glory seed. ThursdayTalk about the part the rain and the sunshine have in making plants grow. FridayPlay as a game the story of the morning-glory seed. SECOND WEEKMondayTo be committed to memory: SEVEN TIMES ONE There’s no dew left on the daisies and clover, There’s no rain left in heaven; I’ve said my “seven times” over and over, Seven times one are seven. I am old, so old I can write a letter; My birthday lessons are done; The lambs play always, they know no better, They are only one times one. O moon! in the night I have seen you sailing, And shining so round and low; You were bright, ah, bright! but your light is failing— You are nothing now but a bow. You moon, have you done something wrong in heaven That God has hidden your face? I hope if you have, you will soon be forgiven, And shine again in your place. O velvet bee, you’re a dusty fellow; You’ve powdered your legs with gold! O brave marshmary buds, rich and yellow, Give me your money to hold. And show me your nest with the young ones in it— I will not steal it away; I am old! you may trust me, linnet, linnet— I am seven years old to-day!—Jean Ingelow Spend the rest of the week teaching the poem to the children. They always enjoy this poem, one generation of little folks after another. Did you not? THIRD WEEKMondayTalk about the rain: Why we need so much of it this month, when the plants are just starting to grow. TuesdayHave the children write: April is the rainy month. WednesdayFor dictation: Oh, where do you come from, You little drops of rain? ThursdayRead or recite the following poem to the children. Talk about where the rain comes from, and what becomes of the water. The children are old enough to understand and appreciate it all, if the explanation be made sufficiently simple. THE RAIN DROPS’ RIDE Some little drops of water, Whose home was in the sea, To go upon a journey Once happened to agree. A white cloud was their carriage; Their horse, a playful breeze; And over town and country They rode along at ease. But, O! there were so many, At last the carriage broke, And to the ground came tumbling Those frightened little folk. Among the grass and flowers They then were forced to roam, Until a brooklet found them, And carried them all home.—Selected FridayLet the children play the rain as a game. They can come from one part of the room which may represent the sea. They can ride on a play cloud. Coming gently to a garden, on the floor, they may play scatter the drops quietly, like an April rain, from their finger tips. Then they may join the brook, and go with it to where it enters the river, then follow the river to the ocean once more. FOURTH WEEKMondayTell the children the story of Paul Revere’s Ride. TuesdayHave the children tell back to you the story of Paul Revere’s Ride. WednesdayRead to the children Longfellow’s poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride.” ThursdayWrite three sentences about Paul Revere’s Ride. FridayHave the children play Paul Revere’s Ride as a game. SECOND YEARFIRST WEEKMondayA rainy morning. (If the morning is pleasant, use this exercise the first rainy day.) Why did you come to school this morning with rubbers and umbrella? Why does the rain run off an umbrella? Why is the roof of a house built on a slant? Why does rain sometimes fall straight down, and sometimes fall slanting? How does the rain tell us which way the wind blows? Why do rubbers keep our feet dry? Why do not our shoes keep our feet dry? What can you think of, besides overshoes, that is made of rubber? TuesdayWrite five sentences about rain. WednesdayPoem to be committed to memory: THE BLUEBIRD I know the song the bluebird is singing, Out in the apple tree where he is swinging, Brave little fellow! the skies may be dreary— Nothing cares he while his heart is so cheery. Hark! how the music leaps from his throat! Hark! was there ever so merry a note? Listen a while, and you’ll hear what he’s saying, Up in the apple tree swinging and swaying. Dear little blossoms, down under the snow, You must be weary of winter, I know; Hark while I sing you a message of cheer: Summer is coming, and springtime is here. “Little white snowdrop, I pray you arise! Bright yellow crocus, come open your eyes! Sweet little violets, hid from the cold, Put on your mantles of purple and gold! Daffodils, daffodils! say, do you hear? Summer is coming, and springtime is here. —Selected Have the poem copied. ThursdayLearn the first and second stanzas of the poem. FridayLearn the rest of the poem. SECOND WEEKMondayWrite a list of the name words (nouns) in the poem, “The Bluebird.” TuesdayWrite a list of the doing words (verbs) in the poem. WednesdayShow the children a book. Show that damage done to a book will remain. If you scratch your finger, the wound heals. If you scratch a book, what happens? Do not break the back of the book. Never mark a book with pencil and ink. Especially never write anything in a book not your own. Do not turn down the corners of the leaves. Always return a borrowed book. Show the children how to open a new book properly. ThursdayFor dictation: Little bird upon the bough, Sing a song of sweetness now; Sing of roses in their bloom, In the lovely month of June, Little bird upon the bough. FridayRead the following poem to the children. Talk about the woodpecker, and how he gets his food. HOW THE WOODPECKER KNOWS How does he know where to dig his hole, The woodpecker there, on the elm-tree bole? How does he know what kind of a limb To use for a drum or burrow in? How does he find where the young grubs grow? I’d like to know! The woodpecker flew to a maple limb, And drummed a tattoo that was fun for him; “No breakfast here! it’s too hard for that!” He said, as down on his tail he sat; “Just listen to this, Rrrr-rat-tat-tat.”—Selected THIRD WEEKMondayPlay “Animals”: Give to each child a card having on it the name of some animal, as cat, horse, pig, etc. Have the children in turn describe the animals they represent as: I am covered with hair. I gnaw bones. I watch at night to see that no one gets into the house. I say, “Bow, wow, wow,” when I am happy. What am I? TuesdayFor dictation: He who plants a tree, Plants a hope. WednesdayTalk about Arbor Day and Bird Day, and why we celebrate these special days. Why do they come in April rather than in January, or some other month? ThursdayWrite a list of all the trees you know about. Who can write the longest list? FridayWrite a list of all the birds you know about. Who can write the longest list? FOURTH WEEKMondayTell the children the story of Paul Revere’s Ride. TuesdayHave the children tell the story of Paul Revere’s Ride. WednesdayWrite five sentences about Paul Revere’s Ride. ThursdayTalk about the new parcel post. How are parcels sent? How heavy can parcels be sent? What can be sent by parcel post? How are letters sent? What does it cost to send a letter? A post card? How is the mail carried from place to place? How is the mail delivered in your town? FridayWrite five sentences about the mails, and sending letters and parcels. THIRD YEARFIRST WEEKMondayWrite a list of objects you can see from a school-room window. TuesdayWrite as many “signs of Spring,” as you can think of. WednesdayFor dictation: All that’s great and good is done Just by patient trying. ThursdayRead the following poem to the children: WILD FLOWERS Out amid the green fields, Free as air we grow, Springing where it happens, Never in a row; Watered by the cloudlets Passing overhead, Warmed by lovely sunbeams, Falling on our heads. Wild flowers, wild flowers, by the meadow rills, Wild flowers, wild flowers, on the woody hills, Wild flowers, wild flowers, springing everywhere, Joyful in the glad free air.—Selected Talk about the coming of the wild flowers. What part have the rain and the sunshine in helping the flowers to grow? What wild flowers are in blossom now? What other flowers will blossom before the close of April? FridayWrite eight sentences about wild flowers. SECOND WEEKMondayPoem to be committed to memory: “The Owl and the Pussy Cat,” by Edward Lear. Have the first half of the poem copied. TuesdayHave the rest of the poem copied. WednesdayLearn the first three stanzas of the poem. ThursdayLearn the rest of the poem. FridayAllow the children to dramatize in their own way, “The Owl and the Pussy-cat.” THIRD WEEKMondayWrite a list of the adjectives in “The Owl and the Pussycat.” TuesdayAnswer in complete sentences, the following questions: What is the color of your reader? What is the color of your pencil? What is the color of your hair? WednesdayWrite a rhyme of four lines about a cat. ThursdayHave the children read “Paul Revere’s Ride.” FridayHave the children tell you the story of “Paul Revere’s Ride.” FOURTH WEEKMondayPoem to be committed to memory: WHAT DO WE PLANT? What do we plant when we plant the tree? We plant the ship, which will cross the sea, We plant the mast to carry the sails; We plant the plank to withstand the gales, The keel, the keelson, and beam, and knee; We plant the ship when we plant the tree. What do we plant when we plant the tree? We plant the houses for you and me; We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors; We plant the studding, the lath, the doors, The beams and siding, all parts that be; We plant the house when we plant the tree. What do we plant, when we plant the tree? A thousand things that we daily see; We plant the spire, that out-towers the crag; We plant the staff for our country’s flag; We plant the shade, from the hot sun free— We plant all these, when we plant the tree. —Henry Abbey Copy the poem. TuesdayLearn the first two stanzas of the poem. WednesdayRecite the entire poem. ThursdayWrite a list of the things we plant when we plant a tree. FridayTalk about the purpose of Arbor Day, and especially about the meaning of the beautiful Arbor Day poem. FOURTH YEARFIRST WEEKMondayStory for reproduction: THE CAT AND THE CHESTNUTS A cat sat before an open fire where some chestnuts were roasting. A monkey who was hungrily watching the chestnuts said to the cat, “Do you think you could pull a chestnut out of the fire? Your paws seem to be made just for that.” The cat was flattered and she quickly pulled out a chestnut that had burst open. “How do you do it?” asked the monkey. “It is wonderful. Can you reach that big one?” “Yes, but see, I have burned my paw a little.” “Oh, but what of that, when you are making yourself so useful?” One after another the cat pulled the chestnuts from the fire. Then she found that the sly monkey had eaten them all. All she had was a pair of sore claws. —Æsop TuesdayWrite the story of the cat and the chestnuts. WednesdayWrite ten sentences about the signs of spring. ThursdayWrite a list of the wild flowers that grow in your vicinity, so far as you know them. FridayHave each pupil draw on paper some kind of flower. Exchange papers, and each pupil write five sentences about the flower he thinks is intended by the drawing on the paper he receives. SECOND WEEKMondayPoem to be committed to memory: PLANT A TREE He who plants a tree Plants a hope. Rootlets up through fibres blindly grope; Leaves unfold into horizons free. So man’s life must climb From the clods of time Unto heavens sublime. Can’st thou prophesy, thou little tree, What the glory of thy boughs shall be? He who plants a tree Plants a joy. Plants a comfort that will never cloy. Everyday a fresh reality, Beautiful and strong, To whose shelter throng Creatures blithe with song. If thou could’st but know, thou happy tree, Of the bliss that shall inhabit thee! He who plants a tree He plants peace. Under its green curtains jargons cease; Leaf and zephyr murmur soothingly; Shadows soft with sleep Down tired eyelids creep, Balm of slumber deep. Never hast thou dreamed, thou blessed tree, Of the benediction thou shalt be. He who plants a tree He plants youth; Vigor won for centuries, in sooth; Life of time, that hints eternity! Boughs their strength uprear, New shoots every year On old growths appear. Thou shalt teach the ages, sturdy tree, Youth of soul is immortality. He who plants a tree He plants love; Tents of coolness spreading out above Wayfarers he may not live to see. Gifts that grow are best; Hands that bless are blest; Plant: life does the rest! Heaven and earth help him who plants a tree, And his work its own reward shall be.—Lucy Larcom Copy the poem. TuesdayLearn the first two stanzas of the poem. WednesdayLearn the second two stanzas of the poem. ThursdayLearn the rest of the poem. FridayTalk about the meaning of the hope, joy, peace, youth, and love, as mentioned in the poem. THIRD WEEKMondayWrite a list of twenty articles made of wood. TuesdayEach pupil think of a tree. Each in turn tell about his tree, the other pupils to guess what it is. For instance: I am tall and straight. I have many long needles, instead of leaves. When the wind blows through my branches it makes sweet music. What am I? (A pine tree.) Or—I am a large tree, with great branches. My fruit is called an acorn. What am I? (An oak tree.) WednesdayTalk about Arbor Day—why it is celebrated, and why it is necessary that our trees be preserved. ThursdayFor dictation: A song to the oak! the brave old oak! Who hath ruled in the greenwood long; Here’s health and renown to his broad green crown And his fifty arms so strong. FOURTH WEEKMondayStory for reproduction: TRIFLES A friend of the great artist, Michael Angelo, was once watching the last touches being made to a statue. Some time later he visited the studio again, and the artist was still at work upon the same statue. He exclaimed: “You have done nothing since the last time I was here. The statue was finished then.” “Not at all,” was Michael Angelo’s reply. “I have softened this feature and brought out that muscle. I have given more expression to the lips and more energy to the eye.” “Oh,” said the friend, “but these are trifles.” “It may be so,” said the artist, “but trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.” TuesdayWrite ten sentences, each containing is or are. WednesdayWrite sentences, each of which contains one of the following adjectives; little, yellow, moist, good, large, beautiful, swift, slow, useful, breakable. ThursdayFor dictation: Tinkling down! shining down! Golden sunbeams kiss the flowers. Wake them up! wake them up! Through the happy hours. FridayPlay “What I am thinking of,” using objects in the school-room. |
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